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Monday, October 22, 2018

Another Uber fake: Convicted murderer charged with his second armed robbery, kidnapping in River North

Stacey Means | CPD

A convicted murderer who was charged in April with posing as an Uber driver to rob an unsuspecting passenger at gunpoint in River North has been charged with robbing a second man using the ride-hail ruse.

In the new case, prosecutors allege the 48-year-old picked up a suburban man in the 200 block of West Grand while posing as an Uber driver around 11 p.m. on April 13th.

The 27-year-old victim climbed into Means’ dark-colored SUV and was met with a handgun pointed to his face, prosecutors said.

“Give me your phone and your debit card,” Means allegedly ordered. Once the man surrendered his property, Means demanded his PIN and then drove to an ATM where Means withdrew $1,800 from the victim’s account, according to police records.

Means returned to the car and continued driving with the victim in the back seat. Police said the victim jumped out of Means’ car at a red light and ran to a gas station for help.

Prosecutors charged Means with Class X felony kidnapping with a firearm and felony aggravated robbery. Judge John Lyke ordered him held without bail on the new charges.

Detectives said they had Means’ SUV under surveillance early on April 20th because they suspected that it had been used by robbers who were posing as Uber rides. As cops watched, Means and Archer picked up a victim in the 100 block of West Kinzie around 3:30 a.m. The officers then tailed Means’ car as it traveled to a nearby ATM where the victim was forced to withdraw money before being robbed, according to a police report.

Means and Archer were arrested minutes later. Prosecutors said Means was carrying more than $4,000 when he was arrested, including $3,600 in hundreds.